\nLiliya was in her office, immersed in thought. Important real estate documents lay on the desk in front of her. She had inherited significant property from her parents\u2014three apartments in a prestigious area of the city and a compact shopping center on the outskirts. Her fingers automatically traced the lines of the lease agreement, which prominently displayed the name of the tenant\u2014Alla Sergeyevna Voronova.\n
Her husband\u2019s mother had no idea she was paying rent to her own daughter-in-law. Liliya had specifically arranged the entire deal through a real estate agency to keep this secret. Three years ago, when her relationship with Igor was just beginning, she decided not to disclose her financial capabilities to him.\n
\u201cMy dear,\u201d Liliya had said then, looking at her embarrassed future husband, \u201cI don\u2019t care at all how much you earn. All that matters to me is how you treat me.\u201d\n
Igor blushed, feeling somewhat awkward. He was an ordinary engineer in a construction company, and his income left much to be desired.\n
\u201cBut how can\u2026 You\u2019re so beautiful, so smart. Surely you won\u2019t be satisfied with a simple life?\u201d he wondered.\n
The girl laughed and hugged him.\n
\u201cI love you, dear. Everything else is secondary.\u201d\n
\n
Thus, Liliya preferred to keep her wealth a secret. She said she worked as a manager at the shopping center but omitted the fact that she owned it. The apartment where they lived, she presented as part of her inheritance.\n
Two years into their marriage, Liliya sometimes regretted her choice, especially due to the constant attacks from her mother-in-law. Alla Sergeyevna had disliked her daughter-in-law from day one.\n
\u201cHow could you choose such a one?\u201d she often asked her son. \u201cShe can\u2019t cook, doesn\u2019t know how to manage a household. The only thing she does is run to work.\u201d\n
Liliya patiently remained silent, although these words painfully hurt her. For the sake of her beloved husband, she was willing to tolerate any reproaches from his mother, even when they became more open and malicious.\n
One day, while preparing dinner, Liliya overheard a phone conversation of her mother-in-law:\n
\u201cImagine, Galina, this girl bought herself another new dress!\u201d Alla Sergeyevna complained loudly. \u201cI don\u2019t understand where she gets the money. Probably, my Igor spends all his savings on her.\u201d\n
Liliya barely restrained herself from dropping the frying pan. Of course, the new dress was expensive, but she had bought it with her own funds, received from tenants in the shopping center.\n
\u201cMy son has completely lost his mind,\u201d continued the mother-in-law. \u201cIf it weren\u2019t for him, this person would probably be living under a fence. No decent education, no proper job\u2026\u201d\n
Liliya\u2019s hands trembled. She had graduated from two faculties and received a red diploma, but Igor had asked her not to tell his mother about it, as she supposedly disapproved of \u201ctoo educated\u201d women.\n
Alla Sergeyevna\u2019s attacks had become especially sharp recently. Every visit from the mother-in-law turned into a real trial period for Liliya.\n
\u201cThis borscht is simply impossible to eat,\u201d Alla Sergeyevna grimaced, tasting the dish prepared by her daughter-in-law. \u201cIn my time, girls were taught to cook before marriage.\u201d\n
Liliya clenched her fists under the table, trying to maintain her composure. In fact, she cooked excellently\u2014she had even taken special culinary courses before the wedding to please her husband. However, the mother-in-law always found a reason for criticism.\n
In anticipation of their wedding anniversary, Liliya decided to give Igor a special gift. She quietly booked tickets for a two-week stay at a five-star hotel on the Turkish coast. This was supposed to be a pleasant surprise\u2014their first joint vacation abroad.\n
Placing the envelope with the tickets in the desk drawer, the girl smiled. Perhaps, after such a gift, the mother-in-law would change her opinion about her? Although, perhaps, it would only exacerbate the situation.\n
When Igor returned from work in the evening, Liliya immediately noticed his anxious state. He was silent for a long time, ate reluctantly, and then finally decided to speak:\n
\u201cYou know, mom called today\u2026\u201d he said with obvious uncertainty.\n
Liliya tensed inwardly. After conversations with his mother, Igor always became more strict with his wife.\n
\u201cShe mentioned that the rent for the apartment has gone up,\u201d continued the husband. \u201cNow it will be difficult for her to manage alone\u2026\u201d\n
\u201cAnd what does she suggest?\u201d asked Liliya quietly, already anticipating the course of events. The girl knew well that she had not increased the rent for her mother-in-law.\n
\u201cMaybe we can help?\u201d Igor said guiltily. \u201cI understand that it\u2019s not easy for us either, but after all, she\u2019s my mother\u2026\u201d\n
Liliya stared at her husband. Her heart clenched\u2014was Alla Sergeyevna lying again to manipulate her son?\n
\u201cIgor, I\u2026\u201d Liliya began, but her words were interrupted by a sudden loud knock on the front door. The mother-in-law herself stood on the threshold.\n
The girl sighed heavily. She had always been against the mother-in-law having keys to their apartment, but Igor insisted.\n
\u201cThere you are!\u201d Alla Sergeyevna confidently walked into the kitchen, not even taking off her shoes. \u201cI just knew I would find you at dinner.\u201d\n
\u201cMom?\u201d Igor exclaimed in surprise. \u201cWhat happened?\u201d\n
\u201cHappened! They turned off the water in my apartment because of some repair works. I\u2019ll have to live with you for a few days,\u201d declared the mother-in-law, tossing her bag right onto the table.\n
Liliya froze. Tomorrow they were supposed to celebrate their wedding anniversary, and the day after tomorrow, they were to leave for Turkey.\n
\u201cAlla Sergeyevna, maybe\u2026\u201d Liliya tried to start.\n
\u201cMaybe what?\u201d the mother-in-law interrupted sharply. \u201cAre you saying I can\u2019t stay? My own son\u2019s mother?\u201d Alla Sergeyevna\u2019s voice became hysterical. \u201cI knew it! There\u2019s your true nature! And you, son, can\u2019t you see what kind of person is next to you!\u201d\n
\u201cMom, calm down,\u201d Igor tried to intervene. \u201cLiliya just\u2026\u201d\n
\u201cJust what?\u201d Alla Sergeyevna flared up. \u201cJust wants to kick me out? She\u2019s always wanted that! Looking down on me, even though she\u2019s nothing herself!\u201d\n
Liliya clenched her teeth. How she wanted to now pull out the documents and show who the real owner was. But she restrained herself.\n
\u201cUseless!\u201d the mother-in-law continued, pacing around the kitchen. \u201cCan\u2019t even cook properly. Look at this pot\u2014what kind of soup is this? Just water!\u201d\n
\u201cMom, stop,\u201d Igor tried to stop her. \u201cLiliya cooks perfectly.\u201d\n
\u201cYou\u2019re just under her influence!\u201d the mother-in-law threw up her hands. \u201cI\u2019ll stay and teach her how to manage the household!\u201d\n
\u201cAlla Sergeyevna,\u201d Liliya made an effort to keep calm, \u201cIgor and I had planned\u2026\u201d\n
\u201cWhat had you planned?\u201d the mother-in-law interrupted again. \u201cTo kick me out? When I have problems?\u201d\n
\u201cMom, maybe\u2026\u201d Igor started, but stopped under the sharp gaze of his mother.\n
\u201cWhat, son? Are you against me now?\u201d Tears glistened in Alla Sergeyevna\u2019s eyes. \u201cI raised you, brought you up, and now you\u2019re kicking me out?\u201d\n
\u201cNo one is kicking you out, mom,\u201d Igor surrendered. \u201cOf course, stay.\u201d\n
All plans for the anniversary, the surprise, the first joint trip abroad\u2014all were falling apart before their eyes.\n
\u201cIgor, can I talk to you for a minute?\u201d Liliya pulled her husband aside into the bedroom.\n
\u201cThere!\u201d they heard behind them. \u201cAlready starting to turn him against his mother!\u201d\n
In the bedroom, Liliya closed the door and turned to her husband:\n
\u201cIgor, tomorrow is our anniversary. I had a special surprise\u2026\u201d\n
\u201cWhat surprise could be more important than your own mother?\u201d Igor sharply replied. \u201cYou see\u2014she has problems! She wants to help us, to teach you\u2026\u201d\n
\u201cTo teach?\u201d Liliya could not believe her ears. \u201cShe constantly humiliates me at every opportunity! Calls me useless\u2026\u201d\n
\u201cShe\u2019s just worried about me,\u201d Igor stubbornly argued. \u201cWants everything to go well for us.\u201d\n
Something inside Liliya finally broke. Two years of patience, lies, and manipulations had reached their limit.\n
\u201cYou know what,\u201d she said quietly, but each word sounded like a sentence, \u201cif you don\u2019t see a problem in this, maybe you should leave with her.\u201d\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d Igor asked in astonishment.\n
\u201cYou heard me. Take your mother and leave my apartment.\u201d\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t kick us out!\u201d the husband protested. \u201cI\u2019m your husband!\u201d\n
Liliya walked over to the cabinet, took out a folder with documents, and handed it to Igor.\n
\u201cLook carefully,\u201d she said calmly. \u201cThese are the documents for the apartment. It belongs to me, remember? You have no right to be here without my consent.\u201d\n
Igor quickly scanned the papers. His face turned deathly pale.\n
\u201cBut\u2026\u201d he tried to say something but stopped.\n
\u201cEnough. Enough humiliation and deception,\u201d Liliya bitterly smiled. \u201cI can no longer tolerate it.\u201d\n
She resolutely escorted them to the door. Her patience had run out.\n
That night, lying sleepless, Liliya made an important decision. In the morning, she contacted the real estate agency and sent an official eviction notice to Alla Sergeyevna. It wasn\u2019t long before the mother-in-law burst into the apartment, quietly followed by Igor.\n
\u201cHow dare you?!\u201d exploded Alla Sergeyevna.\n
Liliya slowly rose from the sofa, where she was sorting through documents. Not a single muscle on the girl\u2019s face twitched\u2014all the emotions, all the pain of the past years seemed frozen inside.\n
\u201cHow dare I?\u201d Liliya quietly repeated, looking straight into the eyes of her mother-in-law. \u201cVery simply, Alla Sergeyevna. I am your landlord.\u201d\n
Alla Sergeyevna froze in place, her jaw slightly dropped. The paper in her hands trembled.\n
\u201cWhat nonsense are you talking about?\u201d the woman hissed through her teeth. \u201cMy landlord is a large company, not some\u2026\u201d\n
\u201cNot some useless person?\u201d Liliya softly finished the sentence, approaching the table. \u201cHere, take a look for yourself. Here are all the documents for the house where you live, and for this apartment too. I have owned these properties for five years, having received them as an inheritance from my parents.\u201d\n
Igor stepped forward, his face taking on an ashen tone as he saw the seals and signatures on the documents.\n
\u201cAll this time\u2026\u201d he whispered. \u201cAll this time you\u2026\u201d\n
\u201cYes,\u201d nodded Liliya. \u201cAll this time, I lowered your rent. First, I reduced it by three times, then by another ten percent. I did this out of respect for you, Igor. But unfortunately, I never received mutual respect.\u201d\n
Alla Sergeyevna collapsed into a chair, as if her legs could no longer hold her. The mother-in-law\u2019s voice suddenly became surprisingly soft and tender.\n
\u201cLilechka, darling\u2026\u201d she cooed. \u201cI didn\u2019t know anything! You must understand\u2014I was just worried about my son\u2026\u201d\n
\u201cWorried?\u201d Liliya bitterly asked again. \u201cBy spreading rumors? Humiliating me at every opportunity?\u201d\n
\u201cI got carried away!\u201d exclaimed Alla Sergeyevna, energetically waving her hands. \u201cAll my words were said in a burst of emotion! I always treated you like my own daughter!\u201d\n
Liliya shook her head.\n
\u201cNo, Alla Sergeyevna. It\u2019s too late. For two years, I endured your nitpicking, your mockery, your contempt. I kept silent when you called me useless. I smiled when you criticized my cooking. I didn\u2019t show it when you spread dirty rumors about me.\u201d\n
Igor tried to intervene:\n
\u201cLily, maybe\u2026\u201d\n
But his wife immediately cut him off:\n
\u201cNo, Igor. Now I see you with different eyes. Do you know what I realized? Not once did you defend me. Not once did you stop your mother when she accused me. You always took her side.\u201d\n
\u201cI just wanted to avoid conflicts\u2026\u201d he muttered.\n
\u201cAvoid conflicts?\u201d Liliya laughed without joy. \u201cAnd I didn\u2019t want to live in a lie. I didn\u2019t want to experience humiliation every day. If you couldn\u2019t protect me from your own mother, what kind of husband were you?\u201d\n
Igor froze, as if struck by lightning. And Liliya continued:\n
\u201cThe saddest thing is that I really loved you. I hid my position because I wanted you to love me for myself, not my money.\u201d\n
She approached the cabinet and took out an envelope.\n
\u201cLook. These were tickets to the sea\u2014my gift for our anniversary. I planned to surprise you. But your mother ruined everything. And you let her do it.\u201d\n
Alla Sergeyevna jumped up from the chair:\n
\u201cLilechka, let\u2019s forget everything! I will apologize, make amends! How can you kick us out onto the street?!\u201d\n
\u201cNo, Alla Sergeyevna,\u201d Liliya coldly replied. \u201cYou are given a month to find new housing. That\u2019s a generous period, considering the circumstances.\u201d\n
\u201cIgor!\u201d Alla Sergeyevna shrieked. \u201cMake her see reason! You can\u2019t allow her to treat your mother like this!\u201d\n
But Igor remained silent, staring at the floor. Liliya took out another envelope:\n
\u201cHere are the divorce papers. I\u2019ve already prepared everything. Sign them\u2014and you can take your mother and leave.\u201d\n
\u201cLily, please,\u201d finally, Igor raised his eyes. \u201cLet\u2019s start over. I\u2019ll change, I promise!\u201d\n
\u201cNo, Igor. It\u2019s too late. My love for you disappeared the moment you chose her, without even trying to hear me. Now I understand: with her around, you\u2019ll never become a real man.\u201d\n
A month later, Liliya sat in her office, placing the final signature on the divorce documents. Alla Sergeyevna rented an apartment on the outskirts of the city\u2014significantly smaller and more expensive than the previous one. Igor tried to return, called, sent flowers, but Liliya remained adamant.\n
\u201cYou know,\u201d she said to her lawyer, closing the folder with the documents, \u201cnow I am free. No one can humiliate me or tell me how to live anymore.\u201d\n
Looking back, Liliya realized: everything that happened was for the best. She lost a husband but found herself. And these trials were worth it.\n
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